A recent publication examines differences across rural and urban hospitals in the rates of sepsis cases as well as attributes such as length of stay, cost of care, and death rates. The report, from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), looked at the over 2 million admissions each year with sepsis as a primary diagnosis and found distinctions between rural and urban facilities in the proportion of admissions for this reason as well as additional differences based on facility ownership status. Of note, rural hospitals admitted proportionately fewer sepsis cases, had lower costs and length of stay, and experienced a rise in death rates, from 7.5 to 10.3 percent, over the three years studied.

In the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that rates were lowest in the counties with the highest health insurance coverage, broadband Internet access, and household income.  In 2022, the overall suicide rate was 14.2 per 100,000 population; rates were highest among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native persons, (27.1), males (23.0), and rural residents (20.0).

 – Apply by December 12.  With major funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) Trust Fund, the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) will award up to 15 grants. Representing an historic investment and initially focused on behavioral health, the Healthcare Extension Cooperatives will disseminate and implement PCOR findings to improve healthcare policy at the state level, especially for people who receive Medicaid, are uninsured, or are medically underserved.  The official Notice of Funding Opportunity lists rural as a priority population, naming CMS Medicare-certified Rural Health Clinics among safety net health care delivery organizations expected to play a role in this initiative.

The CDC Office of Rural Health has released its inaugural Rural Public Health Strategic Plan to protect and improve the health of America’s rural communities.

This plan outlines key priorities that provide a blueprint for CDC’s rural public health work for the next five years. Please take a look at the plan and share it with colleagues who work in rural public health and related areas.

NRHA recently released an advocacy toolkit on how to prioritize rural health advocacy during an election year amidst changes in local and federal congressional offices. Additionally, NRHA Chief Policy Officer Carrie Cochran-McClain recently appeared on Michelle Rathman’s Rural Impact podcast to discuss top-of-mind rural health policy issues.

At the Appalachian Regional Commission’s 2024 annual conference, Advancing Appalachia, Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin announced the latest round of investments in multi-state projects through our Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE): $16.9M to five projects in 10 states.

These projects will benefit at least 270 counties and bring together 60 regional partners — including one of Appalachia’s federally recognized Tribal Communities, the Seneca Nation of Indians. Check out each new investment below! 🌄

$8M to Save the Children Federation to grow the childcare and early education workforce 🏫

$4.5M to the Beneficial Electrification League to modernize electricty infrastructure 💡

$3.9M to the Appalachian Investors Alliance to establish funds for small businesses 🏦

$500K to Carnegie Mellon University to develop job skills matching and career support 💼

$72,219 to the Pennsylvania Environmental Council to boost outdoor tourism 🏞️

On September 9, 2024, Secretary of  Agriculture Tom Vilsack notified the Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro of two disaster areas.

As Sec. Vilsack noted, in accordance with 7 CFR 759.5(a), two Pennsylvania counties are designated as primary natural disaster areas due to a recent drought. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these counties suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of 1) D2 Drought-Severe for 8 or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional.

A Secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators in primary counties and those counties contiguous to such primary counties eligible to be considered for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loan assistance, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have 8 months from the date of a Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. FSA considers each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses on the farm and the security and repayment ability of the operator.

The affected counties are:

• Fayette
• Westmoreland

Contiguous Counties:

• Allegheny
• Butler
• Greene
• Somerset
• Armstrong
• Cambria
• Indiana
• Washington

Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers with further information.